James f



(No Model.)

J. F PLACE.

LAMP.

No. 392,823. Patented Nov. 18, 1888.

INVENTOR: 5W g s. mom,

Attorney.

* :NITED STATES PATENT JAMES FRANK PLACE, OF MONTGLAIR, NEXV JERSEY.

LAlVl P.

$PECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 392,823, dated November 13, 1888.

Application filed November 18, 1887. Serial No. 255,467. (No model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that l', Jnrms FRANK PLACE, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Montelair, Essex county, New Jersey, have invented certain Improvements in Air-Dis tributing Caps for Iiamps,of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to that class of lamps which have cylindrical wicks and a central shaft, and particularly to the air-distributing cap which surmounts the air-tube of such a lamp; and the object of my invention is to improve the construction of such air-distributing eap,and also the manner of mounting it on the wick tube. Inthis class of lamps,where all the air passing up through the annular wicktube is entrapped in the perforated distributing-eap and then supplied to the flame, the cap has been made to slip over the upper end of theinner wall of the wick-tube and extend down into the space occupied by the wick. The objection I find to this construction is that the wick when raised is liable to displace the cap. In constructions where the cap extends down into the air-passage through the wick-tube and rests on a ledge therein the tube is more or less obstructed and its construction is necessarily special-that is to say, the wick-tube of the lamp must be specially constructed to receive the cap. My construction avoids these objections, and also when the lamp is not burning and the wick projects above the tube the wick is apt to rest against some part of the cap, and thus cause the oil to be drawn up by capillary force and led into the air-tube. In lamps provided with my cap this does not take place.

I will now describe my invention with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein--- Figure 1 is a perspective view of an ordinary lamp provided with my improvements. Fig. 2 is a sectional diagrammatic view of the air distributing cap and a part of the annular wick-tube of the lamp on which said cap is mounted, and Fig. 3 is a diagrammatic View which represents the two parts or elements of the cap separated.

A represents an ordinary annular wicktube; a, the wick therein, and B the cap mounted. on the upper end of said tube and closing the airpassage through the samethat is to say, all the air that passes up through the air-passage 3 in said tube must first pass into said cap B, from whence it is supplied to the flame through the numerous perforations in the sides or walls of said cap.

I make the cap B in two parts, as seen best in Fig. 3, the base portion in that figure being designated by b and the crown by b The base comprises the following features: A cylindrical soeketpiece, 1, which extends down into the inner tube, a, of the wick-tube, and which should fit the latter snugly; an cxteriorlyformed flange or shoulder, 2, which rests on the top of tube a, and which should not project outwardly beyond the outer face of said tube; a contracted perforated wall, 3, which is drawn in with a view to keep it clear of the wick .r of the lamp; a shoulder, :1,on which the crown Z; rests,an d a tubular extension,5, which extends up into the crown. The crown comprises a deflecting top plate,6, preferably providedwith a conical depression, as shown, and a perforated side wall, 7.

The object in making the cap in two parts detachable from each other, as shown, is partly to facilitate the construction and render it more economical, and partly to facilitate the cleaning of the cap.

The object in constructing the base of the cap to slip down into the wiektube is to prevent it from interfering with the wiclqand the object in forming the flange or shoulder 2 exteriorly so as to rest on the top of the wick-tube is to enable the cap to be used on any ordinary wick-tube, and thus avoid the special construction of the latter to adapt it to the cap. This mode of mounting the cap also effects a material economy in the construction of the burner. The object in drawing it or contracting the diameterof the wall 3 just above the flange 2 is to keep it out of contact with the tip of the wick, and thus prevent the oil raised by the wick from flowing over into the airpassage.

The objectin providing a tubular extension 5 of less diameter than the crown of the cap is to compel a portion of the air supplied to the flame to rise to the upper part of the cap before it passes to the flame. It will be understood that the air supplied to the inside ofthe flame in a lamp of this kind is drawn in by the draft, and the purpose of all these devices is, primarily, to supply this air in evenly-distributed jets to the flame-wall. Where a simple gage or perforated cylinder is used,the air will takethe shortest and easiest course to the flame, and thus the air-supply will not be sufficiently dispersed to produce the best results. My construction is designed especially with a View to furnishing to the flame substantially the proper proportion of air from every part of the perforated wall-surface of the cap.

When the lamp is burning, the air drawn up through the wick-tube is all fed to the flame through the perforations in the cap. A portion passes out through the perforatio'ns'in the contracted concave portion 3. The remainder passes up to the upper part of the cap, and is deflected outward and downward along its perforated wall, the tubular extension 5 compelling a portion of the air to rise to and pass out at the upper zone of perforations in the wall, while the remainder flows down into the annular space 8 between the extension 5 and outer wall, 7, and finally out at the lower zone of perforations in said wall. The aggregate areas of the perforations of the cap will be proportioned properly to the area of the air-passage through the wick-tube, and these areas will also be proportioned in such a manner as to properly distribute the air-supply to the flame. The arrows in Fig. 2 indicate the course of said aircurrents through the cap.

It will be observed that the tubular extension 5, which admits air to the upper part of the cap, has a much more limited area than the cess of air to pass, the remainder passing up through extensions 5.

I usually construct the deflecting-plate 6 separately from the perforated wall 7 and secure them permanently together by seaming in a well-known way. 7

In Fig. 1 I have not attempted to show as many perforations as the cap B will usually have. In fact, I do notlimit myself in this respect,it being only requisite that the air shall be evenly distributed.

Having thus described my invention, I claim- 1. The combinatiomwith the annular wicktube, of an air-distributing cap adapted to be mounted removably on the top of said wicktube,said cap having a socket-piece which ex tends down into the said wick-tube, an exteriorly-arranged flange or shoulder which rests on the top of said wick-tube, and a contracted perforated portion, 3, just above said flange, whereby the wick of the lamp is prevented from coming in contact with the cap, as set forth. 7

2. An air distributing cap for a centraldraft lamp, composed of two detachable parts or members, I) and b, the former having a socketpieoe, 1, an exterior flange, 2, a perforated contracted portion, 3, a shoulder, 4, and a tubular extension, 5, and the latter having a deflecting top plate, 6, and a perforated side wall, 7, substantially as set forth.

In witness whereof I have hereunto signed my name in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

JAMES FRANK PLACE.

Witnesses:

HENRY CONNETT, JOHN D. CAPLINGER. 

